


blunt force

by seeselene



Category: Carmen Sandiego (Cartoon 2019)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Concussions, Conversations, Developing Friendships, Electrocution, Gen, Head Injury, Injury, Injury Recovery, Major Character Injury, Mild Hurt/Comfort, One Shot, Post-Canon, and zari is like. damn. well. ouch., basically this time devineaux takes the l, but super mild???? idk, julia is exasperated, the focus is on Zari so the Julia & Chase is a bit background but it's there, yes I want them to finally get along after their issues in canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-03
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-12 10:34:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29758320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seeselene/pseuds/seeselene
Summary: Agent Zari is partnered with Agents Devineaux and Argent; together they have been tracking down VILE operatives and taking them in. One mission goes a little messily.Set post-S4 ending.
Relationships: Chase Devineaux & Zari, Julia "Jules" Argent & Chase Devineaux, Julia "Jules" Argent & Chase Devineaux & Zari, Julia "Jules" Argent & Zari
Comments: 9
Kudos: 21





	blunt force

**Author's Note:**

> no one:  
> absolutely no one:  
> me: I will write more Zari POV-centric things just because I love her a disproportionate amount and want more content of her
> 
> I just think these three deserve to work together and get along (RIP unnamed ACME agent dude who used to be Zari's partner) . this is just my excuse to explore a bit and write some more interactions, because frankly I need them . sorry if OOC, still getting accustomed to writing them!

Agent Zari has been knocked out many a time on the field. As Chief required them to use gas guns, all the goddamn time (albeit for a good reason), the very same weapons tended to backfire on them, so to speak. She's suffered through a lot of headaches and bruises from having her head meet the floor.

There's been worse, too. Being hit in the back of the head with a metal pole in Italy had been very unpleasant. She didn't remember the impact that had taken her out, but she remembered the thankfully mild concussion that had plagued her after. It had simply been a headache and the expected feeling of exhaustion when they left the area with the masks safely where they should be, but then it had spiraled into nausea and an infuriating headache that had made her squint into the light, frustrated. Luckily, she had recovered within the day, although somewhat bruised in both body _and_ ego, not that she'd show it.

And oh, now she doesn't know what to do, now that it's her partner who's been clobbered and likely given a concussion, at the very least. She knows what to do, technically, but in the heat of the moment it all gets muddled up. She _does_ know getting him to a safe location would be a priority.

She ran to Chase's side. Dropping next to him, she hoisted him up, hand on his shoulder, gentle yet firm, just like he had handled her in Venice. No blood, but that's all she could tell for the moment, because he wasn't responding to her touch. He seemed to be breathing, at least, and she tore off her glove, stashing it into her pocket before fumbling to find his pulse. Slow and faint, but there.

"Devineaux," Zari muttered, tugging at the man. He was heavy. "Devineaux, get up. We need to go."

His assailant wasn't going to stay gassed out forever, and she knew there definitely were more of them around. Agent Devineaux was down for the count, and she didn't want to move him without knowing how bad the damage was, but they needed to move, and Agent Argent was out there alone-- it was a bad set of variables. She didn't let the panic overtake her, pulling out her pen and paging for assistance.

"We need a medic, Agent Devineaux is down," she snapped into the pen. "Send in backup. One male unconscious but there are more in the area, at least four more confirmed. We got split up with Agent Argent."

As she was putting the device away, having received a clipped response, she felt Chase move minutely and heard a quiet groan.

"Devineaux." Something that might have been relief flooded through her as she looked down at him; at least he had not stayed unconscious. "Backup's on the way. You feeling alright?"

Chase blinked up at her, face scrunched up in disorientation, eyes still half lidded. He tried to speak, but it came out slurred, and his hand came up to grasp clumsily at thin air.

"Wait here and get your head back together. I'll get that perp in handcuffs."

She carefully set him down, letting his head rest against the floor, lolling to the side as his eyes slid closed again. She gave him a gentle shake, eyebrows furrowed in a harried scowl, but was mindful not to rattle him around harder than necessary.

"Hey. Don't go back to sleep, I need you to stay conscious, Devineaux. Do you hear me?"

As she stood, Chase blearily looked her way, and his hazy expression gave way to a confused frown. He opened his mouth again.

Zari felt the air rush out of her chest in a wheeze when she was abruptly slammed against the wall, the side of her face being scraped against the rough brick. Her arms were wrenched painfully behind her back before they could reach her gas gun.

"Where is the other one?" A low, rough voice demanded. "We know there is one more."

"Like hell I'd tell you," Zari snarled.

"Oh, you will."

For a moment she felt something press against her back, cold and hard, and she was released for a brief moment, but whatever control she had over her senses suddenly became drowned out by the screaming of her nerves all over, a blanket of sharp static consuming her in pain. Her body convulsed against the wall as she was shocked, her scrapes stinging and her muscles painfully seizing.

The electricity stopped abruptly, and as she slumped, Zari could taste metal in her mouth. She wanted to retch. Before she could recover enough to get her bearings or maybe go pass out, she was being shoved against the wall roughly again.

"Tell us where she is."

She didn't bother to give a response, choosing to take those precious moments to get air back into her lungs. Backup was on the way, she knew; she could take this. She doubted that he'd kill her if he wanted that information so badly. It was humiliating to be restrained so easily, but Devineaux was still on the floor, and she couldn't risk him getting electrocuted instead of her when he's already had his brain bashed. She could only hope he'd keep quiet and that no one else came. Her heart was hammering in her throat even as she grit her teeth.

"Come on, before I give you brain damage like your friend here."

"Get your hands off me." 

She felt the grip on her slacken, and she faltered. She was suddenly aware of Chase's pen making little blips of sound, and chances were that her assailant had noticed it as well. Her own must have been fried by the electricity. 

"Maybe I should give him the same treatment."

"No," Zari snapped. "He's unresponsive, you won't get anything out of him."

"Maybe not," the foe agreed. "But maybe I'll get something out of you."

Zari's hand twitched minutely in his grasp, wanting to go towards her gas gun, but she knew she would be too slow, too clumsy to take him. She gave herself a few more seconds to breathe, but she felt it was of no use, not after that shock; her fingers felt numb and yet she could acutely feel the way her body was trembling slightly. Where the hell was backup?

"Last chance before I start frying him."

"I don't even know where she is."

"You know, I'm not a patient kind of guy."

He eased back, readying to prod Devineaux with the weapon. Zari thrashed suddenly, body driven by too much adrenaline as she tried to drive off the enemy. He was caught off guard, and a well-placed kick had him doubling over, losing his grip on her, and then she grabbed his head and bashed her skull into his, concussion be damned. Shoving him away with grit teeth, she skittered backwards, nearly tripping over herself as her vision swam. She raised her gas gun with numb hands, unsteady but willing.

In the commotion he had dropped the shocker to the floor. She kicked it away from him, fixing her cold glare on him as he righted himself.

"Don't move."

"You know we have more people, right? You can knock me out too, but you can't get out of here like that with him, much less carrying us. Or maybe you'll run and leave him--"

"They're both getting out of here, as are you."

The goon's eyes widened when another voice rang out behind him. He turned and was met by a puff of gas, rendering him unconscious. He fell heavily to the floor with a thump, revealing Agent Argent behind him, and Zari felt relief and just a little satisfaction at that. She put down her gas gun heavily as Julia quickly put him in handcuffs, a worried look on her face. 

"Agent Zari, what happened? Oh, Agent Devineaux-"

"Julia," Chase slurred from the floor. "Eugh. My head, it is pounding."

"Stay there, Devineaux. Don't move too much. He was hit on the head with some sort of metal baton," Zari volunteered, turning back to Julia, who winced visibly. "He probably has a concussion."

She watched Julia hurry towards Chase. She pulled out her pen and clicked it, but as she had thought, it was rendered useless from the jolt. Sighing, she stowed it away and put a hand to her head.

"What about you?" Julia asked Zari, looking up where she had knelt. "You look... well, forgive me for saying, but you look terrible!"

"Electric shock. I don't think it was very strong, since I'm not passed out or anything." She nodded to the offending device on the floor. She's vaguely proud of how nonchalant and matter-of-fact she is after that, face schooled back into something very nearly flat-- then again, if she allowed herself to falter she might not be able to recover her composure. Her body feels heavy, and she's not sure if the painful sensation in the small of her back is indicative of a burn through her ACME issued suit. Either way, the numbness from the shock was fading away fully so now she was hurting like hell, and that device must have been made with pain in mind.

"Oh my," Julia gasped. "What about your face?"

Zari raised an eyebrow, and that movement caused her to remember the scrapes on the side of her face when they stung against the air. "He shoved me against the wall. What happened to _you_?"

"When they split us off the one after me cornered me, but I managed to get him. We've got the backup rounding up the area," Julia reported. "You called them in at a good time. I'd say I'm glad you two are alright, but..." She trailed off, uncomfortably.

A couple of agents burst into the room, startling Zari just a little, and upon seeing the trio, lowered their weapons. Zari recognized one of them as the medic and exhaled deeply as he made a beeline for Chase. She followed him and gave him the rundown while Julia stood to give way for them and started hauling away the two unconscious criminals in the room with the other agent. Looking down at Devineaux as he was being asked questions by the medic, she was relieved to see he was looking a little less out of it, although if the way his face was scrunched up was of any indication, he was definitely going to be in a hell of a recovery period for a while. 

When the medic turned his attention to her, she bluntly explained what had happened on her end, but insisted that she could get her scrapes and whatnot treated after Devineaux got to the care he clearly needed. The medic agreed with her easily, almost as if attempting to reassure her, but she still had to suffer through his worried once-over, his gaze settling on where her ungloved hand was still trembling slightly. 

"I'm fine," she said to him shortly, a rough edge to her voice. It wasn't that she _wanted_ to go untreated, but his gaze was making something in her uncomfortable and the way her head and her back and pretty much everything hurt was irritating, a prickly feeling of impatience needling and rankling at her. It's not like she had been stabbed or anything.

"Sometimes electric shock victims may appear unhurt, but they still need an examination in case there's unseen issues," the medic told her sternly, without being unkind. He knelt beside Chase again, helping him up carefully. "Anyway, we need to have the site where you were shocked checked, too. You can do that with Agent Devineaux back at the health facility. Agent Argent, if you could give her the shock blanket, please."

_Shock blanket_. She barely suppresses the urge to scowl, or to smirk, she's not sure which, but she wants to snap something sarcastic back at his patronizing tone. Julia, returned from her task, gently put the shock blanket around her shoulders --when did she get it? the medic must have radioed her-- and then put her hand on Zari's shoulder, gently. Zari held her tongue and went through great pains pretending not to notice, and it slipped off after a few moments. Zari had barely felt that touch, either way.

"Agent Argent, they don't appear to be in any immediate danger, but it's urgent that we get them back to the medical ward to assess their conditions right away."

"O-Of course."

Zari, out of the corner of her eye, saw Julia stepping towards her uncertainly, hand raised. She started towards the door before the other agent could get a hold of her, so Julia opted to follow her closely, the medic helping Devineaux up and taking the rear. Around them, ACME agents ran past, some of them giving the odd group glances, but they kept out of each others' way. She was glad that things were shaping up to be a success, the VILE operatives clearly unprepared to flee, but she couldn't help feeling soured by Devineaux's and her mistakes-- the Chief probably wouldn't chew them out too hard for that, not with these results, but it was still something Zari personally didn't like. Reaching the outside of the warehouse, she could see more cars around the perimeter. When she saw the car they had arrived in, she couldn't suppress the weary rush of exhaustion that threatened to overwhelm her. She grit her teeth.

Julia beat her to it, striding over to the driver's side. "I will drive," she said, and didn't leave space to argue. Zari felt too tired to even try, and didn't particularly want to either, so she just pulled her shock blanket tighter around her shoulders and trudged over to the other side to sit shotgun. She's not sure why she thought she would be driving even if she's probably not in any state to. Maybe because Devineaux was present, or maybe she was mentally checking out for the night-- she gave herself a little shake, and then raised an eyebrow nonchalantly when Julia looked at her with concern. The medic helped Devineaux into the back before clambering in after him. As the car started and pulled out, leaving the scene behind, no one spoke.

"We don't get paid enough for this," Zari eventually said into the silence. She heard Devineaux lethargically snort what might have been a laugh, and studiously avoided looking at him through the rear-view mirror. Beside her, Julia sighed quietly.

* * *

* * *

"Agent Zari! Shouldn't you be resting?"

"I have been. I'm not here for work, I just dropped something off and had a follow-up examination. I'm here to see Devineaux."

Julia's eyes widened as she fell into step with Zari, careful not to stare too much at the gauze bandages on the side of Zari's face. "I see."

Zari did not elaborate, looking like she usually did; her expression was serious and watchful, if not a little cold. "How is he?"

"He's awake, I just spoke with him. As you've heard, he's probably going to be alright, thankfully, but he's still a bit... well, he's not going to be on his feet in the next couple of days. They're monitoring him for a while."

"It was a pretty bad hit," Zari commented offhandedly. Julia peered at her, her open curiosity evident. "I was surprised when he regained consciousness so quickly after taking it. Maybe his hard head comes in useful sometimes."

Julia's lips quirked up into a restrained smile at that, making her look a little less worried. "Well, he _has_ fallen onto more than a couple of cars. I suppose he is made of sturdy stuff."

Zari snorted. "And how's work, since both of us aren't allowed to help?"

"Chief said we did a good job, and told me to take it easy for now. It does feel silly to bite off more than I can chew without the other members of the team," Julia admitted. "The other agents are looking into the other operatives in hiding, or interrogating the ones we caught. I'm simply doing research for now."

"You do you, Argent." Zari wouldn't say it, but she knew how Julia enjoyed her research. It was nice for her to be able to focus on that for a while. God knows how the three of them always managed to get pulled into trouble, otherwise. Mostly Devineaux. Actually, he did a fair bit of pulling them into trouble, too.

"Agents Zack and Ivy said to get better soon."

Zari huffed knowingly. "I take it those two were eager to hear about our mission."

Julia laughed, a little reserved, but genuine. "Oh, very. They were respectful, but I could barely keep them from coming to visit Agent Devineaux. They're awfully earnest, as always."

Zari looked over Julia as they made their way down the hallway with a fairly light air despite the circumstances. The younger agent was easier to get along with now. She had half expected resentment from their less-than-harmonious partnership back when they were chasing red super thieves, but Julia seemed not to take it to heart, even if it would have been deserved. Something about her glowed ever since her renewed partnership with Devineaux; she stood up for herself more, and this time, people listened. At the very least, Zari was glad Julia didn't have to convince them of things that seemed very doubtful to entertain, nowadays. It made things easier on all of them. Agent Argent was dependable and intelligent, so Zari was appreciative of the fact that they could cooperate.

"That's his room, over there."

"Are you coming?"

"No, I was just about to leave. As I mentioned I already talked to him, and I think he could do with some rest... well, after you see him, of course. He's... a bit bored, so I think he'll appreciate it. _Please_ get some rest after this, Agent Zari."

Zari snorted again. "Noted, Argent."

She could imagine how bored Devineaux might be getting. He never did very well with staying still for long even if it was for his own good. She started towards the door and dipped her head to Julia, who flashed her a brief but warm smile before the two separated. Zari arrived at the room alone, hearing Julia's footsteps recede. The room's occupant didn't notice that the door had opened until Zari moved to stand by the bed, staring down at him in that vaguely unsettling way.

" _Ça alors_ \-- Agent Zari, what are you doing here? You are supposed to be resting!"

"I didn't get smacked in the head," Zari pointed out dryly. "I technically am allowed to walk around. As I was put on a short leave, I have nothing better to do, and I was already here, anyway." She couldn't stop the displeased curl of her lip when she mentioned being on leave. She would have preferred to get right back into things as she was fully capable of doing so, especially interrogating those VILE operatives, but orders were orders.

Chase lowered himself back against the pillow, hand to his head like his sudden movements and exclamations had made him dizzy. "Well! I, uh, was not expecting you to visit. But it is appreciated."

Zari suppressed the urge to roll her eyes, but did not address what he said. "How's your head?"

"It is terrible!" Chase complained, voice mildly hoarse. "It is throbbing like I was driven over by a tractor... and then trampled by the cows. I cannot read anything on my phone."

Zari raised an eyebrow. "You're awfully lively in that case."

"You know I cannot stay down for long," Chase grinned in bravado, before dropping to a more conversational tone. "Also, Agent Argent just came by. You did see her?"

"I did. She looked tired, I assumed that was your doing."

"I did not do anything! She looked like that when she came in!" Chase protested.

"I'm getting tired just from standing here listening to you." Zari deadpanned.

"You are cruel. So cold. Like ice."

Zari didn't say anything else, lips twisting into a barely perceptible smile, so they lapsed into silence. Chase didn't seem too bothered by it, shifting a bit in the bed, by now accustomed to her tendency to remain quiet when unprompted. Zari could only hope their good-natured quipping lifted his spirits a bit, as they were wont to do. She picked up the papers on the bedside table, glancing over them, and Chase watched her, blinking sluggishly now and then.

"I, ah, heard you got electrocuted," Chase eventually spoke up again, hesitant. His eyes were locked onto the gauze on her cheek. "I cannot believe that happened while I was sleeping on the floor! I wish I had been able to help."

"Shocked, not electrocuted, or that would mean I'd be dead right now. It wasn't that bad," Zari said, voice dropping in annoyance. She didn't like people fussing over that so much, she was clearly fine now. The scrapes were just scrapes. The burn on her back would heal, and she hadn't sustained any long-term effects, or they hadn't shown themselves yet, at least-- she just felt tired. At least Julia hadn't gone any further than her brief opening and closing remarks. Her partners were weird, the other agents wouldn't even have batted an eyelid. Anyway, if anyone in this room was the one who needed fussing over it wasn't her. "And I'm pretty sure I was the one who knocked out your attacker, who gave you a concussion that could have easily been worse."

"Indeed," Chase said, sheepishly. He looked down at his sheets, a melancholy expression on his face. "I, er, I wished to thank you for that."

Zari studied him. He had also been changing since her short, initial partnership with him. From what she'd seen of Chase since they recruited him, he'd always been stubborn and quick to act, if a little reckless. More than a little reckless. She had not had a very good impression of this man at the start. He had proved himself while they were partners, though, and together the two of them had been very driven. Now, though, there was a certain softening of the edges, a slightly more subdued strength to him that reminded Zari somewhat of her other partner. He was humbler now, more inclined to listen, and sometimes he didn't have such bad ideas at all.

"Let's call it returning the favor for Venice," Zari found herself saying, brushing past the topic. Chase's eyebrows drew together, and she guessed that he couldn't quite remember what he was talking about, which was perfectly fine with her, whether temporarily from his current state or not. She put the papers down. "Anyway, we need to look out for Argent now. She's the only one of us who hasn't had the head trauma experience."

Chase barked out a rough laugh. "Please, Agent Zari, do not jinx it. She does not need to experience that, no? And she is very smart, she will not let that happen."

"Not that we can always prevent it, in our line of work. Let's just not make it a habit."

Chase sighed and put his arms up exasperatedly. The gesture was sluggish, and Zari could see he was squinting, as if fighting the urge to close his eyes. "You are a delight to be around," he muttered sarcastically.

Zari did roll her eyes this time, huffing a breath. "And _you_ should get some rest. Get back on your feet soon so we can both pick up the slack."

"Yes, yes, of course. Ever the workaholic."

"As if you aren't either." Zari turned to exit the room. "See you soon, Devineaux. And lay off those mints for a bit."

As she closed the door behind her she could hear him grumbling, vague and incoherent in a way that suggested he would be asleep very soon. She couldn't resist a small, fond, good-natured smirk as she set off, heels clicking against tile. She was careful to wipe it off her face before any other agent saw it and chalked it up to brain damage, or god forbid, Agent Zari going soft.

**Author's Note:**

> I was supposed to keep Zari as a hardass professional but I just think she deserves to be able to snark them and have them meet her on the same page while also getting comfier interacting with them in a less professional way outside of strictly work-related contexts okay please I want tongue-in-cheek exchanges and banter, I want to see the three of them being cool and capable ACME agents and together please , i 
> 
> sorry I tried to research on electric shocks and concussions but I still don't know if this is reasonable so please suspend your disbelief if not HAHHAHAA I just wrote and it just kept growing and I'm going to post it before I can try adding or changing anything else. thank you for reading!


End file.
